People Can Change
by Vixen7
Summary: Hermione has gotten herself in a pretty pickle. Can Draco get her out of it? Or is he as bad as Lucius? Will he change for Hermione out of the goodness of his heart? Hmm...


A/N: Remember this???  
  
Sure, she had snapped before, but then nobody was around. It wasn't like she was in the Great Hall and everyone was staring at them and she was so stressed she could just slap him. Well, this time she was. Voldemort was on the loose, Harry was still upset over Cedric, and Ron was having a break down of sorts. A girl could only handle so much when your worst enemy is standing in front of you, taunting you, telling you such derogatory remarks. At that, in front of the whole school, while teachers pretended not to hear that loud, annoying, vitriolic voice. What else was there to do than to make them try and ignore this as well? So, with flaring temper, Hermione Granger hauled off and slapped Draco Malfoy as hard as she could for the second time her whole school year.  
  
Draco blinked for a moment as the entire place went deadly quiet with shock. Turning his head back around to face her, he gave a look that could have competed with a basilisk, and won. In a deadly whisper he hissed, "You bitch."  
  
Mocking him, Hermione leaned forward and hissed out, "That's why it's called a bitch slap." Then with that, she took hold of her two dumfounded friends and walked over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
Cheers began to echo through the Hall as everyone that wasn't a Slytherin congratulated Hermione. Crabbe and Goyle cut Draco's death charge at Hermione short. The fury enraged student hadn't seen the pointed looks given by the teachers to not be going to attack anyone, but his goons had. They knew very well that they would get in as much trouble as Draco if anything else happened. So, a very pissed off Draco was half dragged back to his seat, cussing and practically spitting venom the whole way. Draco was ready to jump out of the seat he was shoved in, but Pansy (afraid, yet paid to do so) sat in his lap in attempts to hold him there. On one hand, a temper like this was good for a to-be-Death Eater. On the other, it wouldn't do for a Malfoy to get suspended. So, Draco just had to live with it and use that Slytherin mind to come up with a plan to get back at her. Once he calmed down that is.  
  
On the other side of the Hall Hermione couldn't help smiling at all the praises she was receiving. "I didn't mean to," she said in all modesty, blushing a little.  
  
"But you really showed him up!" Ginny cheered with everyone else. She had really gotten a lot more out going over the summer. Something had boosted her self-confidence to the point she was practically a God to all the fourth year Gryffindors. Maybe it was that Molly Weasly gene in her that demanded authority and received it.  
  
Even though Hermione insisted she wasn't proud of herself for bitch slapping Malfoy, everyone could tell by the smirk on her face that she was. It perked up Harry and even brought Ron back to normal for a little while. Maybe it had been a good thing that she had done so. Everyone had a good meal that night. It had been a long time since everyone had laughed so much and talked about mindless things. Hermione had forgotten how much she missed irrelevant conversation since school started a month and a half ago. Her fifth year hadn't started out well, an attack by Voldemort happened near Hogsmead the first day back. A note was burned in the only house left standing that said "In honor of first classes". Life hadn't been going too well since then.  
  
Also, something had happened with Ron. Something not directing his immediate family since no one else seemed as worried as he was. When asked he wouldn't say a word about it, say they were imagining things. It's hard to imagine your best friend having a break down. Harry was having nightmares a lot, or visions, even though no one wanted to think about such gruesome things actually happening. These only made Ron more upset, sending him over the edge all the more easily. Hermione was wrapped up in all the commotion, as usual, but didn't complain. Slowly though, it was wearing down on her as she tried to keep up her good studies, solve mysteries, and help her friends out all at the same time. Ron was a matter in himself, constantly trying to trick him into telling something, only for it to fail at the last minute. So, anyone could see how laughing like they were, was such a great relief for all of them to have. They all knew it wouldn't last long, they just didn't know how badly it all would end. If only Hermione knew that her life just might end up worse than her two other best friends. Had she seen the look on Malfoy's face, and know what evil plots were going through his head, she might have been better prepared for it.  
  
People Can Change will be updated here: http://enchantedphoenix0.tripod.com/fanfictionofsorts/  
  
Plz check back as many times as possible. :-D Lurve you all! Plz forgive me for the delay on getting this put up! 


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